STAND. COM. REP. NO. 905-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1522

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1522 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to extend the statute of limitations for filing complaints with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to one year.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Hawaiʻi Women Lawyers; Lambda Law Hawaiʻi; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that victims of unlawful discrimination often face barriers that delay reporting, including fear of retaliation and the time needed to understand their legal rights. Extending the statute of limitations for filing discrimination complaints with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission will provide individuals a more reasonable opportunity to recognize, report, and seek redress for unlawful discriminatory practices.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1522, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1522, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair